Falling Apart
by KaliannaErebos
Summary: "Kid Flash to Robin, state your location. Robin? Robin are you okay? Man, where are you?" All Wally heard was static, Robin didn't answer again. All were accounted for except for Artemis and Robin. Robin had just radioed in now his end was silent. Miss Martian was trying Artemis who also wasn't answering. Dread filled Wally as he accepted that the worst had happened.
1. Chapter 1

Gotham Academy,

Gotham City, NJ

May 7, 1: 05 PM EST

Artemis Crock was not enjoying school. Some junior guy kept trying to hit on her in Chem, and he was getting annoying. At this point in time, she sort of wanted to punch him in the face, but that would first of all get her suspended, second of all give her away if she punched a guy hard enough to knock them out, so she was stuck ignoring him. She hated being passive, Jade was good at that, of course then again Jade was always passive with an ulterior motive, Artemis never really understood how her sister did that.

When the bell rang she was the first out of class, practically running, trying to put as much distance between her and that junior as possible. She then ran into Becky, her student liaison, sighing with relief. "Hey Artemis!" she called, walking over to her.

"Thank god, I thought I was going to die in Chem." Becky laughed, her blonde curls bouncing in the air slightly as they walked towards lunch.

"Was it Gordon?"

She nodded, "How did you know?"

Becky smiled and replied with an exasperated roll of her eyes', not at Artemis though, but at Gordon, "He tries to hit on all the new girls. Just ignore him and give it a week, and he'll have moved on."

"Sure thing, if I last that long." They both laughed, when a black haired freshman with mischievous blue eyes' walked past with a red haired girl and waved.

"Hey Artemis!" he called then disappeared from sight. That kid was familiar, then it hit her, that was the freshman who had taken a picture of her on her first day at Gotham Academy.

"Okay seriously," she said turning to Becky, "Who is that? This is like the second time he's talked to me."

"Dick Grayson, adopted son of billionaire extraordinaire, Bruce Wayne of Wayne Enterprises, kid genius and school prankster," Becky replied with annoyance lacing his tone.

"What'd he do to you?" Artemis asked as they approached the cafeteria, seeing Dick and that girl sit down at the edge of the cafeteria laughing with some other freshmen.

"He hacked the sprinkler system for the football field, and turned them on during cheer practice, causing the entire cheer team to slip and fall, and we got our new uniforms all muddy and wet an hour before Homecoming Game!" Artemis covered her mouth to avoid laughing out loud, that kid was brilliant, but she knew she shouldn't laugh, Becky was her friend. Suddenly gun shots rang out across the hall, and everyone started screaming dropping to the ground, as men in black get up and AR-15s ran into the cafeteria, forcing everyone to their knees, including Artemis.

Shock filled Artemis as the two men and woman all not in black walked into the room... Sportsmaster, Joker, and Cheshire. She was so screwed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Gotham Academy

Gotham City, NJ

May 7, 1:12 PM EST

Sportsmaster voice rang out across the room, "I am looking for Richard Grayson-Wayne, should he be shielded that person shall die, should he not come forward for every 2 minutes he does not one person shall be killed." Confusion filled Artemis, they weren't here for her? That was a surprise, but why did they want Dick? She looked up slightly and looked over to where Dick was, his face was tense with worry, she looked back at Sportsmaster. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement, Cheshire, she had been spotted.

Artemis put her averted her eyes' hoping they wouldn't notice her, but when two armed men came towards her hopes were crushed, it was either fight and distract them then call the League, or maintain her cover and let herself be captured. Artemis was not one to avoid a fight, as the first goon came towards her, she swept her legs out tripping him up, then got to her feet and viciously kicked him in the head knocking him out, then pulled her skirt down, this was going to be hard in a skirt. With the second goon, she kneed him then elbowed him breaking his nose, he bent over wailing in pain as she kicked him in the abdomen, then knocked him out with a hit to the head with his fallen gun. She then dropped the gun and turned to stare at the villains at the front of the room, Sportsmaster smirked then nodded at Cheshire, damn it. She could practically feel Cheshire smiling beneath her mask, and knew her sister relished any chance she got to degrade Artemis.

Cheshire leapt over her head, and before Artemis could react, knocked her to the ground with an arcing kick to the head, then twisted her arm painfully behind her back, and pulled her up to her chest with one of her sais to Artemis's neck. "Hey sis," Cheshire purred in Artemis's ear as she struggled against Cheshire's iron grip, trying to resist being dragged to front of the room.

When they reached the front of the room, Sportsmaster took a gun out and pressed the metal tip to Artemis's head, then called out, "Grayson, you have 30 seconds to reveal yourself or the girl dies." Artemis could feel Cheshire stiffen behind her.

"You said you wouldn't hurt her," she hissed at Sportsmaster, worry evident in her tone. He didn't answer, as fear filled Artemis, she wasn't sure if her father would actually do it or not, and despite Cheshire's protests she still hadn't let her go.

"15 seconds," Sportsmaster called, when Dick stood up.

"No!" Artemis yelled struggling against Cheshire, "Run!" She knew how demented her father and the Joker were, and didn't want to see a innocent 13 year old civilian get hurt in their evil plan, she'd give her life up. Dick stood up, immediately identifying himself, and smiled at her, his eyes' unnaturally calm.

"Its okay Arty," he replied, just as Sportsmaster smirked and hit the butt of the gun into Artmeis's head hard. Her legs crumpled under her, and she would have fallen to the floor is Cheshire hadn't caught her, and gently gripped Artemis to her. As she fell into darkness, she realized only three people had ever called her Arty, one of them was holding her, the other was an annoying speedster who had diarrhea of the mouth, and Robin. Then it hit her, calm, black hair, talking to her, _"We'll laugh about this one day_." Dick, Dick was Robin, and then she fell into the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Verin's Industries, Pier 41

Docks of Gotham City, NJ

May 7, 20: 31 PM EST

When Artemis woke, she found that she was chained to a chair, arms were cuffed behind her, chest and legs chained to the chair, next to her was Dick similarly bound. He smiled at her wincing slightly, his raven hair dripping with water, his face looking as if he had just went for a swim, a purple bruise blooming on his left cheek, "Hey."

"So this is your civilian identity," Artemis stated, taking it all in. He smiled sadly.

"Batman didn't want my identity to be known or compromised, for my safety," he replied. She nodded then observed her surroundings, they were in a concrete cell, with an iron door, a drain on the floor, and a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling illuminating the cell. She knew what was happening, and what was going to happen.

"What did they do to you?" she asked, slightly afraid, she remembered when Red's siblings attacked the Cave, Robin had been so calm, so traught, Aqualad was right, one day Robin would lead the team because he was a leader; and right now she needed guidance.

"They wanted Batman's secret identity, and they want the entire League's as well, but for now its Batman," he replied with a grimace.

"So whats the plan?" Artemis asked, she knew he had a plan, Robin always had a plan. He grimaced again,

"Still working on that but..." just then he was cut off by the creak of the cell door opening. In walked the Joker and Sportsmaster both in their villain get up. Joker smiled manically as he stalked forward.

"Ready for some more fun time with Uncle Jay little bird?" he leered, with a crazy glint in his eye. She looked to Robin, who was calm and collected, showing no effect to the Joker's words. "Or are you ready to sing?" he continued, sending a slight shutter through Artemis, there was a reason why the Joker had been locked up in Arkham. Artemis saw a glint of anger flicker through Sportsmaster's eyes', as he stalked forward and took some type of stick like machine with sharp metal prongs and stabbed it into Robin's arm, and pressed the button. An electrical current to run through Robin's body. Artemis could only watch in horror as Dick's face contorted with agony, but he remained silent, gritting his teeth against the pain. She steeled herself, pushing her emotions back till she was in her zone, thats what her father had taught her, emotions will get you killed, that they can be played upon by your enemy. Never show emotion, thats what he taught her when he tortured to make her stronger, he kept going till she showed no emotion, didn't flinch once, didn't wince, didn't show an ounce of pain, till she became emotionless.

"Well _boy_, ready to talk or should we have another go?" he snarled at Robin, jerking the electrocutor from his arm, causing Robin to wince in pain.

"Was that the best you could come up with? Wow, I knew you were stupid but not a certified half-wit," Robin spit back to Artemis's surprise. Anger flashed across Sportsmaster's face, as he struck the boy across the face, causing the teen's head to snap to the side, before he turned his face back and smirked, taunting the grown man. Before Sportsmaster could strike again, the Joker stopped him, staring at her and Robin with narrowed eyes.

"Now little robin, I think that we've neglected your friend for far to long," he smirked, almost causing Artemis to lose her emotionless facade with fear. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dick's blue eyes' widen with fear slightly, and her father smile that blood lusting smile he used to get when beating her or Jade.

"No!" Dick cried, as her father walked over and hit over the head. She felt a vague and brief flash of pain, and then she was falling again, into the darkness, _Down, down the rabbit hole I go_, she thought to herself.


	4. Chapter 4

Verin Industries, Pier 41,

Gotham City, NJ

May 8, 9 : 07 AM EST

When Artemis awoke she was in a cold gymnasium looking cellar with stone walls, but rubber padded floors, the floors had rust colored stains in them, and were damp, with a drain in the middle of the room, and a table of sharp looking objects laid neatly on it in the front of the room. She forced her face into her emotionless mask, _Its just a ploy to scare you. They just want to scare you, thats all_, she thought to herself. Though it calmed her somewhat, though she knew the drain, and table of torture weapons weren't only for show. She pulled forward slightly, to see she was restrained, chained to a pole to be exact, one that ran from ceiling to floor, so no chance of sliding off, there were two exits, and no windows, both doors were obviously locked from the outside and made of steel. _Of course they are, _he_ wouldn't want his 'baby girl' escaping now would he? _she mocked to herself with annoyance.

She spoke too soon, for Sportsmaster came into the room, with Joker behind him, dragging a beaten, unconscious Dick in chains behind him. Her eyes' widened as she took in the battered 13 year old. He had a domino mask on similar to his Robin mask, at least her father was somewhat concerned with keeping Dick's identity a secret, but the mask did nothing to diminish the damage done to him. In addition to the bruise he had on his cheek earlier, he had a black eye, two other bruises, and dried blood from under his nose, and that was just his face. He shirtless, with just his school trousers on barefoot. His torso was covered in angry red welts that looked like he had been repeated whipped with a belt, and had bleeding cuts all over, that had obviously been done with a knife. His breath was hitched, meaning he had probably broken a rib or two, and he had burn marks all over his arms and chest, he had been electrocuted. Only years of training stopped Artemis from throwing up right then and there, to say the least, Dick looked like he had been to Hell and back, killed, resurrected, killed again, and was still resurrecting at the moment.

Her father smiled at her malevolently, and put his metal hockey mask on, "Hello baby girl." She gulped and glared at him not responding, every now and then glancing at Dick to make sure he was still breathing. The Joker cackled manically, as he chained the unconscious teen to the pole right next to her. She had just enough time to swing her gaze back to her father, before he rushed forward and her head swung violently to the side. Still recovering from the vicious blow, she felt her head being pulled up painfully by her hair, causing her to wince slightly in pain, as a familiar coarse voice hissed in her ear, "You know I don't tolerate disobedience Artemis. You will answer me when I ask you something are we clear?" Her head swung to the other side violently, her cheeks throbbing and bright red. "ARE WE CLEAR?"

"Yes," she whimpered, feeling as helpless as she had when she was younger, and then she was pulled into a flashback.

_She cowered on the floor in a curled fetal position, as her father stalked angrily towards her to hit her yet again. She deserved it though, that she knew, she had shown weakness, and weakness was not tolerated, it was to be eradicated. A slight painful tug was felt, as she was dragged to her feet by her hair by her father, Jade standing in the corner, pale, eyes' wide with fear as she watched. Intimidation. He stared down on her with disgust and fury as he asked in a deadly calm voice, the most dangerous voice of all, "What was your mistake?" He punched her in the face, causing her to fall to the ground in pain, her nose throbbing, causing her vision to blur with involuntary tears. "Awe are you going to cry now? WHAT WAS YOUR MISTAKE?" he screamed in her face, her 8 year form filled with terror._

_ "I... I showed weakness, sir," she spit out with terror, fearing his retribution. His blood lust smile appeared on his face, and then she knew that tomorrow was going to be painful, and he wouldn't grant her a reprieve from training either, no matter how she hurt._

_ "Good," then his face morphed into fury, "Why did you hesitate?" _

_ With hesitation, not able to think of a convincing lie that might save her she whispered, "I didn't want to hurt Jade." His eyes' narrowed into dark slits._

_ "Repeat that please Artemis," he spit out through gritted teeth, paralyzing her with his foreboding dark glaze._

_ "I didn't want to hurt Jade," she spit out with a sob, and then realized her mistake, when fists started raining down on her, and pain became her world._

_ "You." Punch. "Will." Kick. "Learn." Crack. "To." Grunt. "Obey." Kick. "Or." Crack. "Pay." Punch. "The Price." Punch. Punch. She fell down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, to the sound of Jade's whimper of pain, a warm gentle touch on her hand, Cheshire Cat was saving her, going to lead her out of Wonderland._

She was shook back into the present, to the foreboding dark gaze of her father staring at her with a sick pleasure in his eyes' as if relishing her fear, as if eagerly anticipating the horrors he would wreak down on her.

"How did you even know about Robin?" This time, it was her father who answered, but the Joker, his red painted scars tipping upward in an ever-present smile that scared the crap out of her, at least her father was somewhat sane even if he was abusive and sadistic, but the Joker was just plain crazy. _There's a reason he was locked up in Arkham_, she though to herself.

"Little birdie here should be more careful in picking those he trusts," he cackled again, and Artemis briefly wondered how his scars never tore with all the smiling he did, then it hit her, Kaldur was right, they had a mole on the team, it wasn't her, Wally probably knew, Robin was his best friend, even if Wally was EXTREMELY annoying and obnoxious he wasn't a traitor, M'gann and Conner were both nice, but neither were close to Robin, so they probably didn't know, and therefore it wasn't them, Zatanna wouldn't do that to Robin, she definitely had a crush on him, that left Kaldur and Roy. If so, the team was in BIG trouble. Her train of thought was interrupted by an eruption of pain from her ribs, while she had been distracted by the Joker, Sportsmaster had gotten the crowbar and was now viciously hitting her unprotected ribs. Just then Dick woke up and looked around.

Artemis heaved a sigh of relief, struggling to breathe, yep, he had definitely broken a few ribs with his whacking. Dick observed the room then noticed she was next to him and asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

She let out a dry chuckle, causing her to start hacking up her lungs, intensifying the pain in her ribs. When she stopped she said, "You're asking me? Have you..._Cough_... taken a look at yourself lately?" He gave her a half-smile then turned to the smiling villains in the front of the room.

"What do you want?" Robin snarled, causing the Joker to walk forward with a unstable grin on his face, tapping the crowbar in his hand. He viciously hit Robin across the ribs, followed by a _Crack! Crack!_ There went two of Robin's ribs. Worry filled Artemis, but she couldn't talk for fear of the smiling blonde man in the front of the room, who had barely taken his eyes' off her.

"Now now, Dickie bird, I'm sure Batsy taught you better manner no?" Dick glared at the Joker, then spit at his feet, resulting in another two whacks across the ribs, resulting in another _Crack!_ " Now, what were you asking?" the Joker inquired in the genteel tone of a reprimanding mother, scaring the hell out of Artemis, as she felt her heart rate quicken. It was painful to watch helplessly as the 13 year old was mercilessly beaten by the clown psychopath.

"Cut the fuckin' crap Joker, what the..." Robin's voice was cut off by another five whacks across the chest, causing the teen to emit a low groan of pain at the last hit.

The Joker repeated his question, "What were you asking me Dickie bird? I would suggest good manner now, you know what will happen if you don't." Dick opened his mouth to retort, but quickly shut it when the Joker raised the crowbar. "Now, I want you to ask me, 'Uncle Jay, what do you want with us?'" Robin's face contorted with contempt and disgust, but the moment the Joker raised the crowbar, a flicker of fear passed over his features, before defiance slowly drained from his features. Artemis herself would of been fooled, if now for the burning pools of hatred and contempt in the 13 year old's eyes', that she could barely see through his domino mask.

"Crazy psychopath," he smirked, "What the fuck do you want with us?" The Joker laughed a harsh, strained laugh, before going to front, and putting the crowbar down, causing her and Dick to exchange a relieved glance that soon turned to helpless despair as they saw the Joekr pick up a cat o' nine tails whip. The Joker whipped Robin across the torso with a sadistic smile, and crazy laughter that would haunt Artemis for the rest of her days, but not as much as the sound of the first crack in Robin, the first sign that he was actually breaking.

When he was done, he laughed at the bleeding, semi-defiant, semi-fearful teen and replied in a scarily cheery voice, "Well little bird, since you asked _so_ nicely, I guess I'll answer your question. You see, the League of Shadows wasn't very happy when the big bad Justice League decided to use you kiddies for their dirty work, and they needed to take the leader out, and I thought well that Atlantean must be just filling in for my Dickie bird, because I _know_ Batsy wouldn't let anyone but his little robin be team leader, hence why you were captured. Arty over here," Artemis winced at the affectionate nickname her sister had given her when she was younger, used by such a psychotic madman, "Was a very naughty, naught girl." He walked over to her, shaking his finger, still smiling, seriously, did this guy EVER stop smiling? "Big bad daddy over there wasn't very happy when his 'baby girl' didn't follow in the family business, now Cheshy was rebellious but at least she followed the rules in the end, but Arty, " she winced again, she was NOT going to get used to him using her nickname, "just broke ALL the rules. So the Shadows told us to make her sing the shadowy tune, and so that shall be," he then started laughing, chilling the blonde to the core. She and Dick exchanged a glance of hopeless despair, as Dick gave her an encouraging half-smile, but the pit in her stomach said otherwise, the Justice League wouldn't find them, ever. Sportsmaster unlocked her chains, and had two goons drag her out of the room.

"Say bye bye to your little arrow friend, Dickie bird, because you won't be seeing her for a long long time. Lets have some fun with Uncle Jay shall we?" Artemis was dragged out of the room, cringing at the sound of Robin's every hoarse shriek, followed by the Joker's delighted giggles, little did she know she was about to enter her own hell.


	5. Chapter 5

Watchtower,

May 14, 2: 03 PM EST

_Kid Flash. B06_

Wally raced into the room desperate for news on Artemis and Dick. It had been one week since both Artemis and Dick, who everyone knew the secret identity of now, within the Justice League and Team, had been kidnapped. Wally had barely slept, he was worried about Dick, because the Joker had a serious grudge against him and Batman, but Dick or more Robin was practically captured every other month by one stupid villain or another, so he wasn't as worried about him as Artemis. Though he pretended to hate Artemis, and annoyed her constantly, he and grown to like her and respect her as her own person, and not as Roy's replacement over the past year.

"What news do you have?" Wally asked desperately, as he fought through the crowd of Justice Leaguers, and Team members to get to the front where his uncle was. Batman grimaced.

"The Joker has sent a video," Batman spit every word out with hatred and a promise of vengeance, that had Wally been the Joker, he would have gotten on the first spaceship out of Earth and made a run for it screaming in fear, maybe out of this universe. He turned to his uncle, the Flash, for further explanation.

"Just watch," his uncle replied, his face white with shock. Batman pressed play, and the video played.

"Hello there Batsy, and the rest of the Justice League, it seems you've lost a little birdie, or should I say, _Robin_?" he cackled scarily, "Well Batsy, you trained little Dickie bird well, he just doesn't want to cooperate, and I'm afraid, being naughty requires punishment, doesn't it little birdie?" The Joker moved to show us Robin, and the damage wreaked on him in only one week was horrific.

He hanging in the air, his arms tied to two different posts, that being the only thing holding him up, Wally could only imagine how much pain he must be in from his the strain on his arms alone. The teen's domino mask was discarded on the floor. He was only wearing his ripped school trousers, that were so dirtied, and bloodied and ripped that it was hard to tell what they were, and wore nothing else. His raven colored hair fell in around his pale face, dripping with water, his pale blue eyes' filled with anguish, pain, and a small hint of defiance though they were unfocused, with deep dark bags under them; he looked like he had slept at all in the last week. His torso was horrific covered in bloody welts, black tinged burn marks, bleeding cuts, and his arms weren't much better. He had one black eye, a bunch of bruises and cuts all over his face, and a burn mark on his neck. His skin was pale as paper, and all his muscle was practically gone, he was really just skin and bones now.

Wally couldn't stand to look at his bloody, tortured, starved, exhausted friend anymore, yet couldn't tear his eyes' away.

The Joker stepped back in front of the camera and cackled, "I can just imagine the look on your little faces, at poor little Dickie bird. Bird," he laughed a high-pitched laugh at the word, "Bird! I know, you see Batsy, what do people do to birds to make sure they don't fly away?" A sick nauseous feeling filled the pit of Wally's stomach, hoping against fate itself that he was wrong. Behind him he heard M'gann gasp with horror, "No!" Normally he would've comforted her, but he was too absorbed in Dick, and the torture he was undergoing.

"You clip the birdies wings," he sang, sending a shiver down Wally's spine. Joker moved, back allowing them to see Dick, and then Sportsmaster stepped into the picture, where he came from Wally had no idea. He stepped in smiling, with a crowbar in hand. "Lets clip Dickie bird's wings shall we?" the Joker asked Sportsmaster. Sportsmaster gazed at Dick with hatred and smiled a gruesome smile.

"We shall," he responded with malice, just as Wally saw a flicker of fear flash through Dick's eyes'.

"You know, for the person being tortured I smell better than you," Dick commented with a small smile on, his eyes' flashing with anger.

Sportsmaster laughed heavily, "Keep yapping boy, you'll soon learn obedience as Artemis did," and with those words Dick's face transformed to that of anger that wobbled on the edge of insanity.

"What did you do to her, you sick son of a bitch? How could you, her father!" He screamed, struggling against his chains. The Joker laughed a high pitched laugh, as his face filled with delight at the anguish on Dick's face. Then Dick screamed, as the crowbar hit one arm resulting in a _CRACK_, and then the other arm resulting in another _CRACK_.

"The birdie had his wings clipped. Since you care so much for little Arty, why doesn't she join us, Sportsmaster?" The blonde smiled gruesomely, and Wally didn't know if he should be scared as hell at what had been done to Artemis, which would not be pretty by the looks of what had been done to Dick, or be angry as hell, and pummel both the Joker and Sportsmaster. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Batman gritting his teeth in anger, and Green Arrow's face filled with despair and anger. Behind him sobs could be heard from M'gann, and Zatanna and Canary had appeared on either side of him, Zatanna with a broken expression on filled with anguish, Canary with fury. He felt his uncle's hand slip onto his shoulder for comfort, as Sportsmaster brought in Artemis.

At first glance, Wally wasn't even sure that _was_ Artemis. Cheshire was dragging her by her chains, but gently as if trying not to hurt her too much, and then Wally saw why, the inside of the cuffs had metal spikes in them that had blood constantly pouring down Artemis's battered wrists. Everyone sucked in a breath, she was tied to a pole next to Robin and they got an actual look at her. Her hair was damp with sweat, hanging in greasy clumps with browned ends. She was in a tank top, and ripped, battered green cargo jeans, someone must of changed her from her school uniform. Her tank top was filled with red, and a light brown color from all the dirty sweat and dirt from wherever she had been held staining it, through the rips in the tank top he saw scar, many new, bloodied welts, bleeding cuts, burn marks, missing patches of skin, and so one covering her arms and chest, and you could see her ribs through the tank top. Her face though was the scariest part, it was filled with terror and agony, her eyes' dilated so much from the lack of light that you could barely see her storm gray irises, but it was clear what they were begging. Her cheeks were slim and hollow with signs of starvation, cuts and bruises adorning her face. She looked... broken.

Dick at least was still fighting, but she looked decimated, broken, her eyes' were begging for them to kill her for God's sake. Dick looked at Artemis with pain, but all she did was stare at ground with her anguished empty eyes', he gritted his teeth, and Wally could tell from the tense set of his best friend's shoulders that he wanted to kill the villains in front of him.

The Joker cackled, and handed metals rods crackling with electricity to Cheshire and Sportsmaster, while taking one himself. They went to Artemis, and all took turns burning her, causing her to shriek in agony, till her voice went hoarse, and she could only scream silently. Wally couldn't watch, to see Artemis, Miss. Sarcastic and Tough as Nails reduced to _this_, it was too much. Zatanna fell to her knees, and Wally would have too, it not for his Uncle holding him up. Canary and Green Arrow looked murderous, actually everyone in the Watchtower was crying or furious, but Wally... he was just numb.

Dick screamed himself hoarse trying to break from his chains, but they were obviously too strong for him, when they stopped, Cheshire dropped the electric prod and ran to Artemis making sure she was okay, surprising everyone in the room, before she was pulled away and thrown to the ground by Sportsmaster, who beat her till she was unconscious, the Joker laughing manically in the background. He turned to the camera and giggled, "It seems that Cheshy has been very very naughty," he then cackled some more.

Wally felt like throwing up as he took in the scene in front of him, a bleeding slowly breaking Dick tied to a metal pole, a broken Artemis tied to another metal pole, an unconscious Cheshire on the ground who's motives were unclear, a psychopath Joker, and Sportsmaster with serious anger issues all in the same room. Sudden fear filled him, at this rate neither Artemis or Dick would live to see another week. Sportsmaster pushed the Joker out of his way, causing him to pout like a little child, as Sportsmaster looked directly into the camera, chilling them all to the core.

"Here are our terms, Artemis is not coming back, so give up hope, but you may hope to get your little errand boy back, if and only if you meet the following demands. We want the Justice League to release the identities of everyone on the League and Team to the Light, and for the Batman, Superman, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Superboy, Aqualad, Doctor Fate, The Flash, and Miss. Martian to turn themselves over to captivity by the Light . You have 48 hours to meet all demands, leave the hostages at Cadmus, we will collect. If the demands are not met in 48 hours, well, you won't get Robin back either, and Joker over here is very eager for some payback," he grinned gruesomely, "Also, should those brats of yours come and try to rescue their friends, well, the more hostages the better, well minus Robin, if we have more, we have no need for him," then he pulled away, with a last 'Ta Ta' from the Joker, the video shut off.

Everyone was silent, not sure what to say, they knew they couldn't meet those demands, and that the Light wouldn't give Robin back by meeting those commands, they would use him to extract more from them. Also, the League couldn't give themselves over for two young heroes, no matter how important to the team they were.

Just then Batman spoke in a choked voice, "I.. can't track the signal, and the video has been edited to not give any clues to their position away." Everyone exchanged looks, except for Wally who stared at the screen numb, his heart sinking filled with despair, they weren't going to save Dick or Artemis, he felt his whole world fall apart right then and there.

**Hey everyone, haven't done an author's note before, anyway yes I will be updating, are you kidding me? I wouldn't leave you all hanging in there. XD I really hope you like my story, and sorry that some of the names are incorrect or some facts are not right, I mean I love DC Nation, but I am not obsessed. We can't all be perfect. So please leave reviews on how I could better the story, it helps me lots, or where you'd like the story to go from here because I have no real plan, I just writing as I go along. Thank you all for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone, so just a little headsup, we're going to have a flashbacks from Artemis about her past, as in growing up, and in those days that she was broken right before the video showed in Chapter 5 to the Justice League. I hope this lives up to your expectations!**

Verin Industries, Pier 41,

Gotham City, NJ

May 15, 3:53 AM EST

Artemis was in pain, she had blocked it all out days ago. The first days were just a flash and blur of useless defiance, pain, and agony; she soon learned that blocking it all out was better. It was too much, the insults that were repeated over the speaker for her three hours of solitude every day, they were trying to brainwash her, that much she knew. It was hard not to listen to the lies pouring out of the speaker though, as she was tied on her knees, a metal cord pulling her arms hard behind behind her, her feet cuffed to the floor under her, making so she couldn't move as her arms, shoulders, and back screamed in protest, and those lies spewed out over the speaker repeated over and over and over again. Sometimes, Sportsmaster would whip her or beat her, water board her, pour water all over her for about 10 minutes, then put her in the room with the fan on. Three hours later they'd take her out, and she'd be a quivering delirious mess.

The first few days she was defiant, refusing to show that anything bothered her, day three they cracked her. People say time is irrelevant when they are being held captive or tortured, but not for Artemis, Sportsmaster made sure to tell her the date, and made her disgusted in herself with how quickly she broke. But getting electrocuted and water boarded all day tends to haunt a person. She remembered how she sobbed, begging for it to stop, the cold, dark despair that took hold of her, in that dark damp cell, as she was held under, in constant terror, not sure if this time they would end her, then the burning of her blood as they electrocuted her covered in water, the excruciating feel of a lightening zapping her over and over, unbearably hot, burning like acid.

After that, she was changed, she knew that. Artemis just didn't want to deal with it, and didn't want to deal with that fact that her family betrayed her, and were the ones putting her through this hell, and hell it was. She hadn't eaten since she had been put in this cell, had only been given water 3 times, was beaten every day, tortured, and was breaking. She still and fight in her, but her fear of getting electrocuted again quickly overcame her anger and defiance. Hope. Friends. Love. Family. Trust. Those were fools terms, and anyone who believed in such things were idiots, maybe not friends, Artemis knew that Dick was still her friend, and that he was undergoing his own torture, she had seen him yesterday, he looked bad, but he wasn't broken, broken like she was. She wanted to yell at him to not antagonize them, he did, they broke his arms, she was a coward, and opted for silence, and left him in pain; she was a horrible friend. Dick was her friend though, that much she knew, but the Team, her mother, her sister, her dad, the Justice League, they had all abandoned her, she was alone.

She was filled with a cold icy despair, she was alone, no one was going to help her, or save her from this dark wretched hole of Hell. It scared her, she didn't want to have nothing in her future but beatings, electrocution, starvation, dehydration. By Day 6 she realized not thinking and not feeling helped a lot, no despair, no pain, no cold, no nothing, life was better, life was easier, simpler. She didn't rebel or fight back when dragged away, she felt pain when she was tortured but that was it, when they asked her questions she was unresponsive, she didn't talk, didn't eat unless forced, didn't drink unless forced, she was practically living dead. This scared her though, and after awhile she started to relish the pain, it showed her that she could still feel, even if it was only pain, at least it was something. Then again, maybe, she hoped, just maybe they would get irritated and just kill her already; they'd deprived her of any weapons that could be used to commit suicide, or she'd be dead by now, all she was doing was waiting to die.

Suddenly the door creaked open, Artemis didn't make any movement of acknowledgement, as the light burned her light starved eyes', causing her to flinch slightly, and look to the ground, constant, unmoving, grey, dull, a reflection of herself though she wasn't constant, not when she could die any day. Knowing what was coming she pushed herself from the wall, and sat on her knees, wrists extended on her knees to be handcuffed. The person didn't handcuff her roughly and hit her a few times like what was normally done, instead they knelt down in front of her, and gripped her hands. Tan skin. Black hair. Girl. A face registered in her mind. Cheshire. Her sister. Jade.

Jade lifted her face, so that Artemis's grey eyes' met her own. She gasped slightly, her face filled with self-loathing, and disappointment as she gazed down on her defeated, beaten, broken little sister. She then hugged the unresponsive archer to her chest, her eyes' glazed over with tears, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Artemis. I'm your older sister, I should have protected you, I should have been there for you, but I abandoned you, I left you and then did this to you. I'm sorry, but I'm going to make it up to you." A tiny, microscopic really, pang of guilt hit Artemis, she didn't forgive her sister, not by a long shot, and Artemis didn't know if she ever would, or forgive any of them, but her sister deserved to know that Artemis wasn't completely drained of fight, though she was 99.9% so. She looked up, acknowledging her sister's presence, meeting Jade's eyes' of her own free will, hoping this wasn't a trap set by their father, though if it was, she'd have to give him points for creativity. Jade pulled away, then saw Artemis looking at her, a tear slipped down her cheek, and Artemis watched as that pure untainted tear of joy, pearly blue, slipped down her cheek, then hung and wobbled at her chin, before sky diving to the floor and joining the filth, and she then realized that was her sister's story.

Her sister was once good, she remembered, before their dad corrupted them both, then she ran, she was caught, and she fell into a world of filth, trapped, and even if she managed to rise again, she'd be tainted by her experiences. Jade and her weren't so different after all, she was just a few stages behind, still wobbling and hanging onto the chin, desperate to reach the eye again, as the force of gravity controlled by her family tree to suck her down into the filth with them.

"Artemis!" Jade exclaimed, as Artemis jolted back into reality. "Are you okay?" she asked. The blonde did not respond, but did look at her. Jade gulped, her face filled with pain,a dn there went that annoying pang of guilt and sympathy again, damn was that annoying. "You need to escape. Dad plans to break you, then build you back up in the Light's image, and they plan to use your friend, Robin to extort information from the Justice League and kill him, you both need to get out of here." Then, for the first time since she had entered this hell hole she spoke.

"What.. about... you?" she asked hoarsely, her voice still healing from all screaming she had done while undergoing torture. Jade's caramel eyes' softened slightly.

"I'll be fine." They both knew that to be a lie. When Sportsmaster found that Jade had let Artemis go, and if she escaped with Dick, and they both got back to the Justice League, Artemis would be an only child, Jade would pay the ultimate penalty for betrayal. It was one thing to defy the Light as Artemis did, it was a completely other thing to betray the Light, and was not taken lightly at all. "Artemis you cannot worry for me. You are the good one, the light of our family, we were all tainted by the League of Shadows and the Light, we all killed and tortured, and gave in to the dark..."

Artemis interrupted her, "I've killed... too.. Jade." The elder smiled down sadly at her little sister.

"You were forced, you fought it, you joined the Young Justice League, you fought the darkness, I didn't, mom didn't, dad didn't. Mom's trying to change, Dad is embracing it, and me, I'm stuck, as surely as you are in this cell. There's no saving me, but you, you can get out, you can live your life happily," Jade responded her voice cracking with emotion, completely destroying the bad ass image that she had created for herself, but only Artemis was here to see it, so it didn't matter much.

"If you're helping me get out of this cell, I can help get you away from the Light, and the League of Shadows." Before Jade could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Urgency filled her older sister's eyes, as she reached behind her and took something out. In her hand was Artemis's green compact bow, and sheathe of trick and titanium coated, steel tipped carbon fiber arrows. A glint entered her dull, empty grey eyes', as the tips of her mouth curled up slightly, Jade nodded at her then pulled her to her feet. Artemis wobbled a bit, unused to standing on her own, but soon regained balance. Jade opened the door, as the footsteps got louder. Blond hair. Intimidating demeanor. Dad. His eyes' widened with rage, as Jade stood in front of her, then put her mask on, and drew out her katanas.

"Go Artemis now!" Jade yelled, as Sportsmaster ran towards them, with his steel tipped lance aimed out in front of him. Artemis hesitated, not wanting to leave her sister, she still cared for her. "Artemis go! Or so help me God I will kill you!" That got her moving.

She ran to the end of the hall, to see her father and sister fighting viciously, then Jade was bleeding, the lance had stabbed her side. Sportsmaster withdrew it, with a gruesome, blood thirsty smile on, but Jade kept on fighting, and then it hit her, her sister was going to die by their father's hand within the next few minutes, and Artemis refused to let her sister's sacrifice be in vain. Artemis mouthed 'I love you', just as their father, kicked Jade's mask off, and shoved her against the wall. Their eyes met, caramel to gray, farewells and 'I love you's were exchanged, then Artemis was off, and she was determined.

She turned the corner and saw two guards rounding the corner. They both dropped their coffee cups to the ground, and spluttered fumbling for their weapons when they saw her, but she still retained much of her skills and muscle, and quickly shot them both through the throat, their bodies' collapsing to the ground, as she numbed herself to the pain of her body, luckily for her, her father didn't break any of her bones or she'd be in big trouble. Just then she saw a familiar door, and flashes of screams, burning, cracks of broken bones filled her senses, sending her into temporary paralysis, that she soon shook off, burying it deep, where it couldn't be found. She kicked the door open, seeing, to her relief that no one was in there kept for Dick. he was strung up, his face one big bruise, with a few cuts here and there, contorted in agony, his arms red and swollen from being broken, and no one had bothered to relieve that agonizing pain that Artemis knew the thirteen year old was undergoing. His torso was filled with red angry scars, bleeding cuts, blackened burn marks, his back, places were missing skin, and filled with scores of bleeding swollen whip and belt marks, standing out against his pale skin.

Hating to do this to him, she lowered her bow and slapped him across the face, causing him to whimper in pain slightly, his eyes' unfocused when he opened them, then they narrowed with defiance and contempt. Shame filled Artemis, he was still fighting, even when he had undergone hell, she had given up and submitted, she was weak. When Dick saw her, his eyes' widened with wonder, then narrowed with suspicion.

"You're tricks won't work Joker, I'm too smart to fall for that you son of a bitch," he snarled hoarsely, and then Artemis realized that he thought the Joker had dosed him to make him give up information. They really didn't have time for this, Sportsmaster would be coming after them, once he was done with... no, she couldn't think about this now, too much to do, not enough time to worry.

"I'm not a hallucination Dick, its really me." He laughed harshly, his blue eyes' filled with anger and disbelief.

"_Sure_ you're real, and I'm Santa Claus." They _really_ didn't have time for this.

"Okay, don't believe me, but we have to go. If this is a hallucination then it does you no harm to go does it?" she asked, hoping to appeal to his logical side, if he was insane already, it seems while she broke and became numb, he went crazy, and became insane, she hoped the damage wasn't irreparable.

"I guess not," he began, just as she cut down the ropes binding him to the poles, he screamed as he fell to the ground, his arms hanging limp beside him on the ground. Artemis heaved him to his feet, as he gritted his teeth against the pain, and dragged him to the front of the room, where his watch was laying on the table.

She turned to him, "Does that have a com in it?" He stared at her with suspicion, and she lost her temper. "For God's sake Dick, does that fuckin' device have a com in it?"

"Why should I tell you?" She blew.

"My sister is about to die or is dead already by my father's hands' right now so that _I_ could escape with you you big idiot. I don't want fuckin' information, I want to know if that watch has a God damn com in it to get us out of this hell hole. Now, does this have a FUCKIN' COM IN IT?" She screamed, her fuse lit and bomb exploded. He stared at her then nodded.

"Yes." She breathed in relief, as she took the watch, and put it in her hand, as she dragged him out of the room. Setting it on her wrist, and raising his broken arm gingerly so not to hurt him, he used his fingers to hack into the video camera and motion sensors of the building, then his watch projected a map of the building as well as their location. Suddenly they heard some footsteps, knowing that they were in no shape to hide, Artemis ducked into a room, shutting the door behind her, it was the janitor's closet, go figure. Dick explained the plan to her.

"Okay we are on sub level 5, the only way up is the elevator, which we have to access before its disabled, from ground level we can use the com to contact the team," he said, his voice tense and strained with pain. She winced, but weakness had no place in this right now, it was life or death.

"Okay, which way to the elevator? How many headed our way? Have they caught on yet?" She asked.

"Elevator is down the hall turn left, right, and... left, then do straight passing two other corridors. Three headed to hurt from the north, eight heading to the elevator from the dungeons, and two in the elevator heading to ground level. I think they caught on, but assume we are ignorant of their plans," Dick responded, then double clicked the screen, then appeared video footage, of the Joker, Harley, and Sportsmaster heading towards the gym where Dick had been held. He double clicked and the footage disappeared, his face tense and white, as was her own, as flashbacks of the horrors her father had wreaked on her ravaged her mind, and then thoughts of her sister, she wasn't really bad, she had just been misguided and trapped in a dark place, trying to escape, but getting dragged down deeper and deeper into the mud, and now she'd drowned it. Rage then filled her, her sister's sacrifice would not be in vain.

"Okay, we need to move out now. Sob stories can wait for later, we have to go before they realize we have the com and _really_ start trying to find us," she said harshly, he nodded. She lifted him to his feet, and he let go of her. She stared him in the eye, he nodded, he was okay to walk, and then they set off.

**How is this? Is it good? I hope so, I'm so excited to see what happens next! I feel bad for Artemis and Dick though, Dick lost his sanity somewhat and his confidence, while Artemis lost her sense of emotion and trust, I'm going to have fun with this. XD Tell me how it is! If you look at past reviews you'll see that I do take your suggestions into consideration.**


	7. Chapter 7

Verin Industries, Pier 41,

Gotham City, NJ

May 15, 4:06 AM EST

Artemis and Dick ran to the elevator, only to stop at the final curve, hiding behind it. There were guards with shotguns guarding the elevator entrance. "Damn it!" She cursed quietly, Sportsmaster and Joker were sure to be after them at this present moment, and they were trapped on a sub level of some building in the middle of nowhere. Dick pressed his watch, and the clock screen slid to the side revealing an empty space filled with small metal balls under it. She stared at him, as he grimaced in pain, "Extra... bombs," he then fell, only to be saved by Artemis catching him, as she gently eased him to the ground, his head in her lap. "You throw them, we get on the elevator. When get to ground level, there should be an access tunnel next to the particle accelerator," she looked at him blankly, he rolled his eyes' and clarified, "Big machine with red stripes, " she nodded now understanding. "Take it and go straight, that should lead us out of the building. According to my scan it seems we're still in Gotham City, in a warehouse at Pier 41 belonging to an oil shipping company called Verin Industries." Artemis recognized the name, a spark lighting in her eye. "Do you know this place?"

She nodded and responded, making herself emotionless, "Verín is a small city in Galicia, Spain, southeast of the province Ourense, also a highly guarded location of the League of Shadows."

Dick frowned, his eyes' filled with confusion, as his detective brain tried to figure out what was so important about Verín, his eyes' filled with an angry defeat as he asked, "Whats so important about Verín?"

"Verín is home to a famous tourist spot known as Castlé Monterrey, that played a key part in the Portuguese-Spanish wars. It was built in the 12th century by Alfonso Henríquez, and then later owned by Sancho Sánchez de Ulloa, a member of the Shadows," she replied looking at him, to see if he had caught on, his eyes' widened, she continued, "In other words, Verín is where assassins of the Shadows are trained."

"How do you know?" he asked, then his eyes' widened as his brain caught up with his mouth.

"I was trained there."

"So what does this have to do with getting out of here?" he asked, though from experience, Artemis knew that once they got back to the cave, he'd be researching this, and passing info to Batman, who'd be upset with her for not sharing this earlier. _Great, another mark for me being a traitor,_ she though to herself, then pushed all down, fighting to not give in to the horror that she was feeling, as she slowly pieced the Shadow's and Light's plan together. Now it made sense why they wanted her, and Dick, they were the only residents who actually lived in Gotham City, hence they knew all of Gotham's secrets, or most anyway.

"Nothing, but this is bad. Verin Industries, that means that the Shadows is moving their headquarters from Castlé Monterrey to Gotham City." Dick's eyebrows shot up, but before he could ask anymore, they heard footsteps from down the hall, they'd have to finish their conversation later.

"Alright lets go," Dick said handing her the bombs with care, she nodded, as they both crouched down on their knees. Artemis threw the bombs, causing them to explode on contact. Screams and crashes of exploding rock was heard, as Dick cued the signal and they both ran through the fire, explosion-torn hall all the way to the elevator, they pressed the button, looking at the screen above, the elevator was at sub level 11, damn it. Artemis wasn't going to wait around for them to come get her and Dick. She used her bow to pry open the doors, opening the elevator shaft, a dark desolate hole. She looked at Dick, who's face was pale with anger and fear. His arms were broken, so he couldn't climb or hold onto her, and she could see figures appearing through the fire in the hallway, they had to go, and they had to go now.

Just then, she saw a little blurb of light coming towards them, the elevator it was coming up. She looked behind them, and saw her father emerging, blood staining his hands, Jade's blood, she felt sick to her stomach, and desperately tried to pull away from the gaping pit of despair she knew her grief would drag her into. No, Dick was going slightly insane, and was not at all thinking coherently, he should have put together the story when she first mentioned it and brought up a million details on it that made people stare at him as if he had grown two heads, guess thats why Zatanna liked him, he had been sweet and funny in an awkward way, _had been_, now he was just an insecure, slightly insane mess, not that she was any better, but now was not the time to dwell on such matters. Knowing this was going to hurt her and Dick's battered bodies, she grabbed his hand, causing him to emit a shriek of pain, then jumped onto the coming elevator.

Pain jolted into her as she laid in a heap on the top of the elevator, breathing heavily, her vision blurry tinged with red, pain lancing through her entire body. She looked to he side and saw that Dick was tense as a nail, his muscles bulging, his fists white in curled balls, his body convulsing slightly, he must be in a hell a lot go pain right now, Artemis figured, but her mind had to be on getting out.

The elevator stopped at Sub -Level 5. _No! No, no, no, no! _ Artemis yelled to herself, now it was time for Plan B. All the people in the elevator stepped out, all dressed the equivalent of an FBI SWAT team, as they lifted their M-16s and ran into the room. She kicked the vent lid on top of the elevator off, and dropped Dick's body into the elevator as the doors closed, then dropped into the elevator herself, her body protesting. Dick grimaced at her, in an attempt to smile, as they both lay slumped agains the walls.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Looks who's talking, how did you beak your arms anyway?" she asked, curious, though a small part of her was pinging like a red flashing alarm light that she should know. He stared at her in disbelief.

"You... were there," he stated staring at her warily, as if he were believing again that he was dosed by the Joker.

"The last week is a blur for me really, I just... I just am blocking it out," she whispered, struggling not to get sucked into the void of vicious dark memories of that dank, dark hole of hell on earth. He nodded solemnly, that spark of insanity lessened in his eyes', he understood.

"I was scared that they had broken you, you looked so... when I saw you the day of the video, you looked so..." he couldn't finish the sentence.

She grimaced her voice suddenly small, like that of a lost scared child, "I was, I am. They, he screwed me up bad. I can't... think about it... without..." He nodded, then decided to change the subject.

"Why would the Shadows move their training grounds to Gotham?" he asked, though it was more out loud thinking then an actual question.

"I don't know, but it can't be good. This would mean more deaths, more assassinations, and Batman will..." she was cut off.

"Batman!" Dick exclaimed, horror in his voice.

"What about Batman?" she asked hesitantly, sensing that he was about to reveal something horrific.

"They're moving to Gotham correct?" She nodded. "Why Gotham? It has the highest crime rate in the country, and only one League member guarding it..." he started, as it dawned on her.

"Batman, " she gasped.

"Meaning this is the least guarded city by the League, and a good foothold in America, which they've been looking for for a long time, and from there they can expand. Why do they want me? Why do they want Batman's identity? Because, who do they have to take out to gain control of Gotham?" Dick finished, and they both sat back against the wall and pondered these dark theories. The Shadows wanted a secure foothold on the East Coast of America, Gotham was the least guarded because Batman was possessive of his territory, from here they could expand, and spread their reign of terror. To take control of Gotham they needed Batman out of the way, they figured out Dick's identity though she didn't know how, other than the Joker's hint of a mole, and brought her as insurance. This way, they either got Batman's identity out of Dick and got rid of him, or they forced Batman to rescue Dick, fall into a trap, then be killed, either way Batman would be out of the way.

Artemis knew that she was an insurance policy of obedience from Dick, but also because her family had lost their patience, and decided to take matters of where her loyalties lie into their own hands, and knowing her father, he wouldn't give up, especially now that she was the only one, now that Jade was... She felt tears prick the back of her eyes', her throat growing painful, as she leaned her head back against the wall of the elevator, pushing back the torrent of grief threatening to explode from her. Her sister was dead. No, she couldn't deal with this now, now they had to get out and share this intel with Batman and the League so that they could handle this, now, she had to focus on escaping.

The elevator stopped at Ground Level. She gently lifted Dick to his feet, his dank black locks falling in around his gaunt pale cheeks, his blue eyes' filled with agony, and looked as if he were clawing and desperately trying to hold on to the ledge instead of tumbling down into the swirling abyss of insanity. He needed psychiatric help, as well as medical care, especially for those arms of his.

They ran down the hallway, as Dick instructed her on how to get out. When they reached the final exit, Artemis opened the doors just as Dick yelled, 'NO!', and an alarm sounded, red lights flashed through the halls, accompanied by a loud siren. Artemis turned to Dick, to see him on the ground, tears streaming down his face, curled up in a fetal position, screaming, trying to shield his ears with his shoulders. Panic attack. Damn it.

She gently dragged the tortured sobbing teen out the door and into the dark comforting woods outside. When they were safely in the shadows of the forest, Artemis gently set Dick down, and took a deep breath of the forest, and felt ecstasy fill her, they were free. That happiness was soon pierced by a throbbing sorrow, as she remembered.

_"Jade!" Artemis called giggling, her 6 year old face bright with happiness. She looked around in the trees for her big sister, who was nowhere to be found. "Jade!" Suddenly, she felt big arms wrap around her from behind, causing her to shriek in surprise._

_ Tan arms, black hair, mischievous smile, Jade. Her sister smiled down on her, then said, "Well, since you failed to find me it seems you'll have to pay the price Ms. Archer." Artemis's eyes' widened, as she struggled, laughing, trying to get away from her big sister._

_ "No!" As Jade set her down on the ground, and started tickling her, the two sister's laughter mingling as it rose and spread through the forest._

This reminded Artemis that Jade wasn't coming back. She shook her head, clearing away the memories, then looked down at Dick, they needed to contact the team, and get Dick to a safe place while they waited for the team to arrive, because soon Sportsmaster and Joker would send out search teams to find them, and in the state Dick was, they'd be found very quickly.

Artemis picked up the shivering teen, who was silent in an ominous way that chilled her to the core, tear streaks down his dirt stained face, shaking slightly. She started through the woods, when she heard the rushing of water, of course! They'd be using dogs to track them probably, if she went in the stream no scent wold be left for the animals to sniff out. Shivering she stepped into the freezing, cool colored river, giving it her all, as she dragged Dick through the water, against the current, that way their scent and so on would be washed downstream, and therefore give them a headstart on their pursuers, she just hoped her father didn't figure it out, after all, he had been the one to teach her all she knew.

After awhile of walking, she exited the stream, shivering, exhausted, dragging an unconscious Dick, by the collar of the black t-shirt she had put him in earlier, when they were exiting the gym. Up ahead she saw a thick tree, she walked over to it, and using a rope she carried in her quiver, she tied Dick to her back, and started to climb the tree. It took awhile seeing as she was still weak from begin tortured, and was carrying a 120 pound teenage boy on her back, but she managed to get to the top. Once she was deep inside the brambles of the tree, she untied Dick, and set him on some branches, where he laid unconscious, shivering, but there was nothing she could do about that, cept by sitting in the direction the wind was coming from, shielding his body form the frigid breeze, as she froze, the water turning to frost on her tank top, her lips tinging blue slightly.

Shivering, she took the watch from Dick, but just as she took the watch off him, he jolted awake screaming, only to be silenced by her leaping on top of his, covering his mouth with both her hands. "Shut it idiot! Its only me," she hissed, hoping no one heard his scream. He blinked a few times then nodded, she took her hand off his mouth, he didn't scream.

"Whhhaaaat... happened?" he asked, his teeth chattering, but he gritted his teeth, causing Artemis to feel admiration for the teen, as he braved the cold.

"We got out, but triggered an alarm, you had a panic attack, I dragged us through a river to divert our scent, and you passed out, we are high in a tree right now, and we need to contact the Team, now before they find us," she summed up. He nodded shakily, his hands shaking as he grit his teeth, he didn't look good, no way she was giving him the com, not when he was like this.

"I think I'll handle this."

"Artemis I'm fine."

"No you're not!"

"I'm FINE!" and with that he lunged at her, kneeing her solar plexus as he ripped the com from her hands, leaving her dangling on a cracking branch, the breath knocked out of her, fighting pain and exhaustion. When he stopped and saw what he had done, horror paled his already white face, if that was even possible. "Arte... Artemis, I'm... sorry, so sorry. I didn't mean..." she cut him off, grimacing, her eyes' flashing with rage, how dare the son of a bitch knee her after she saved his life too! Damn heroes!

"Shut it, " she spit out, he silenced, the com still gripped in his white, blood-deprived knuckles. "If you want the fuckin' com, then have it, now contact the Team." He nodded, then started typing onto the scream, a red little bubble appeared on the screen, it said 'Searching for Signal', then it disappeared, and Artemis took in a deep breath of anticipation.

"Robin to Team. Come in Robin to Team." There was no answer, and Artemis let out a sigh of frustration and anger. Just then, there was a crackle from the other end. Artemis and Dick both perked up, and exchanged a glance, then Dick tried again, "Robin to Team. Come in Team, this is Robin."

"Robin?" A hopeful perky voice asked from the opposite end, M'gann! They exchanged a hopeful glance, before Artemis took the watch and decided to conduct a little security check.

"White or Green?" She asked into the com. There was a rustle from through the com, and the sound of M'gann shrieking, then more yells in the background.

"White. Artemis! Are you and Dick okay? Where are you? We'll come get you!" M'gann said in a torrent of words. Artemis felt tears prick the back of her eyes', as she smiled at Dick.

"We're next to..." she looked to Dick for the address, which he mouthed through the air to her, she nodded, "We're in some kind of forest, a little way from Verin Industries, Pier 41, docks, Gotham City."

"Got it. We're coming to..." then the signal was cut off, as a piercing pain filled her head. It felt like a knife was trying to dig through her head, she and Dick both started screaming, clutching their heads, or more Artemis did and Dick tried to, but the pain of his broken arms prevented it. They both fell from the tree, and she looked up slightly to see through the reddened haze, her father, Sportsmaster, blood coating his hands, grinning at her.

"Hello baby girl."

The piercing pain disappeared, and Artemis laid curled up in a fetal position on her side, gasping and sobbing, and then she saw out of the corner of her eye, Psimon, thats how they were found, he probably picked up the radio signal and traced it back to them.

_Very good Artemis_, his voice sounded in her head. She freaked. "Get the fuck out my head you freak," and squeezed her eyes' shut, willing his presence out, till she finally managed to shut him out. He fell to his knees gasping for breath, as she fell limp, staring ahead, at Dick's agony filled blue eyes, with all the running and jumping they had been doing, Dick must be in excruciating pain with his broken arms. This whole time she'd been worrying about herself, and here Dick was, not complaining once, with broken arms, determined to escape, what kind of friend was she? What kind of team member?

Just then the radio sounded, "Robin? Robin you there?" a familiarly annoying voice rang out over the radio, but Artemis could only listen in horror knowing that their only chance of escape was gone. Until Dick suddenly turned over, stretching his broken arm to grab the fallen com, his face contorted in agony, as it well should be.

Before anyone could stop him, he radioed in, his voice tense with pain, "Robin... to Team. Come in." Sportsmaster let out a cry of outrage as he sprinted over to Dick, who rolled onto his stomach, the com protected by his body, as the com crackled again.

"Man, are you okay? We're in the bioship, we're tracking your location right now." Sportsmaster grabbed at the teen's body, causing him to scream in agony while pressing the com button, therefore meaning the Team could here his every scream. "ROBIN!" Wally screamed, as Sportsmaster attempted to rip the com from the battered teen's broken arm. Artemis wasn't about to let that stand. She pushed herself to her feet, in agony, as soldiers filed into the clearing, about 7 of them surrounding her. Remembering her father's teaching from over the year, she fainted. The soldiers walked over to her hesitantly, when they were close enough she struck.

She swept her legs under, wincing as her back crinkled with pain, but she had to save Dick, and save herself as well, meaning her father could not, absolutely not get his hands on that watch. She kicked him in the head knocking him out, then ducked a punch aimed by the second guy, leaning back into a bridge pose avoiding the third guy's kick, then while doing a handstand, kicked them both in the head knocking them out. She backflipped back into position, as she faced off the remaining four, the fourth one had a machine gun aimed at her, while the fifth was going in at her with a taser. She ducked under the machine gun just as the soldier pressed the trigger, one bullet grazing her arm, causing her to wince in pain, before she used the gun as a stepping stone, to swing her legs around his neck bringing him to the ground, before snapping his neck, then tripped up the fifth guy and shot him with his friend's machine gun, then shot the 6th and 7th soldiers.

Jumping over the fallen bodies of the 7 soldiers she ran at her father, tackling him, forcing him to drop Dick. He elbowed her in the face, breaking her nose, but she refused to let go, choking him, and soon he tumbled to the ground, causing her to crash into the ground headfirst. She then lay on the ground staring at the sky, the stars less bright, giving way to hints of dawn in the east. Artemis was out of breath, dazed, and fighting the blackness that threatened to overtake her, because she knew if she gave into its peaceful embrace, she would lose her chance of escape, yet she couldn't get up, she was too out of it, to disoriented, everything was out of whack, she couldn't even remember what was up and what was down.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of red and yellow. Wally was here. Artemis smiled slightly, happy someone was there, even if it was Wally. He ran at Sportsmaster, causing her father to fall over onto his but. He got to his feet, gritting his teeth, snarling with anger at Wally, just as Aqualad, Superboy, and M'gann came.

Soon M'gann was locked in a psychic battle with Psimon, while Superboy was carrying Robin, Aqualad fighting Sportsmaster, and Wally racing towards her. Just then, the Joker stepped out into the clearing with a dozen soldiers. "Get to the bishop!" Wally yelled, as he gripped Artemis gently in his arms, her back just barely twinging with pain, when they heard M'gann cry out, and fall to the ground unconscious. Superboy, ever the protective boyfriend, dropped Dick to the ground, causing him to whimper in pain, as he went and got M'gann. Aqualad kicked Sportsmaster back into a tree, then picked up Robin, they all ran to the bioship, but were soon split up into 3 groups by the troops, Superboy and M'gann, Aqualad and Dick, Wally and Artemis, and she guessed that Zatanna was manning the bishop.

Wally ran, his face tense with worry, making Artemis want to sooth him, but she still was too dazed to do anything but think, when Wally tripped and fell, sending her tumbling to the ground, to where she laid sprawled, unable to move, and watched as electric shocks were sent into the clearing in Wally's direction, cause him to grimace in pain, as he moved towards her, with the intent of at least getting her away, when a man came up behind the red head. Artemis wanted to scream at him to watch out, but it was too late, Wally's eyes' met hers before the blow knocked him to the ground and into unconsciousness. Artemis was screaming inside, knowing that Wally was just about to enter hell, _at least Dick got away with the rest of the team_, she thought to herself morbidly, before the darkness became too much, and Alice fell down the rabbit hole.


	8. Chapter 8

Mount Justice,

Happy Harbor, RI

May 30, 20:21 PM EST

After two weeks of recovery Dick was able to get out of bed and walk around, though he wouldn't make a full recovery for the next 3 months, not that it mattered, none of the team had been going on missions anyway. Dick still had panic attacks if there were really loud sounds, and had a seizure when he saw a crowbar, but his arms were healing, and most of his wounds were treated and healing. He was different though, that much he knew. Dick didn't feel like talking with people, or cracking jokes, or being around people in general. All their worried glances, pitying looks, make him on edge, paranoid, and weakened his grip on the brink, desperately trying not to fall into the abyss of insanity, but it was getting harder. He preferred to stay holed up in his hospital room, on his laptop researching the evidence that he and Artemis had discovered, and trying to figure out where Artemis and Wally were. The whole League had cleaned Verin Industries inside out looking for a trace of the two kidnapped heroes, but they were nowhere to be seen, they had been moved, and Dick didn't know where. He was stressed, worried, and traumatized, the slightest thing would set him off into a flashback of his week of torture at the hands' of the Joker, he was worried about Wally and Artemis especially Artemis who had been in the Shadow's possession for 3 weeks now, he could only imagine what had been done to her, and he was stressed about the Shadow's plans' for Gotham, knowing from experience that they always had a Plan B, meaning Verin Industries was only Plan A.

He was a mess, his week of torture at the hands of the Joker had been traumatic an, he was still suffering from mental trauma, he could only imagine what Wally and Artemis were undergoing, Artemis especially since she had defied her father. Though he was worried out of his mind for Wally, he was most concerned for Artemis, they were attempting to break her, while Wally would just be tortured for information or amusement. They would succeed too, Dick had once believed he was invincible, why not? He was the protégé of Batman himself, future leader of the Team, but after what he'd undergone, he no longer was sound in such beliefs. Artemis was strong, stronger than him, when he broke down, she'd kept it together, even after losing her sister to death at her father's hands', she'd kept it together, saved his life countless times, but now? He didn't know, and Wally, smiling, always cracking jokes Wally, Dick knew deep down that teen was slowly being destroyed.

Bertenelli Inc.

Starling City, NY

May 31, 7: 32 AM EST

Artemis was woken at 4:32 with a brutal kick to her ribs, causing to inhale sharply, wincing at the extra bruise that had been added to her already bruised ribs. She wiped her mind clean, she found if she didn't think, she didn't feel, and life was easier. When they had captured her and Wally together, their captors tortured them one at a time in front of the other just to torment them, that had been 13 days ago, she had counted. Then her father stuck her in this damp little hell hole that made her wish for death and paraded her sister's body on a spear in front of her, and did so much more. After that wore through, he had taken to breaking her with any method possible, till she was begging for death and would do anything to stop the pain. After she just gave in, did what they wanted, didn't feel, and the pain stopped. She vaguely remembered her past life, her friends, the red head superhero who had been captured with her, but that was all overshadowed with fear and pain, days and days, still beat, starved, tortured her, deprived her of sleep and water, but it was less than before, and it was more manageable.

Her father kicked her in the ribs again, she couldn't get up, her leg was broken from having him shatter it with a crowbar, instead she looked up at him, staring at him with empty eyes' that chilled him to the core. It was one thing to break someone to show them the Light, it was a completely other thing to do so to one's own child. His Artemis had always been spunky, even if she did as he asked she always did so with attitude, but now she was a shell of who she used to be, and he didn't know if he liked that, not with his baby girl, this silent empty shell of a person.

"Rise and shine baby girl, time for a new day, " he announced, a sharkish grin making its way onto his face, she didn't respond, just staring, making her mind blank, or appear so while she hid deep in the recesses of her mind, burrowing away from the pain that haunted her. Two men in black came from behind him, and roughly grabbed her off the ground, twisting her arms painfully behind her back and handcuffing her tight. She felt a twinge of pain but it was a relief compared to the pain that she'd endured in the last 2 and some weeks.

Two men in black came from behind him, and cuffed her, dragging her to her feet, and out of the room, but not before getting some blows from them, causing her to wince in pain where others would have screamed. She couldn't stop herself from slightly wondering what horror they had in store for her next, she remembered her sister's words, they were going to break her and build her up in the Light's image, she couldn't resist or fight or escape them but she could take away some satisfaction, and that was not letting herself be completely broken.

As they dragged her down the hall, she recognized her surroundings, and tensed as she guessed their destination. They dragged her through the steel reinforced gym doors, and the sight before her horrified her, causing her to feel for the first time since that day they broke her when she and Robin had been captured.

Bertenelli Inc.

Starling City, NY

May 31, 7:46 AM EST

Wally could only watch from the corner of his right eye, the one not swollen shut as more men came into the room, filling him with despair. He felt no hope, he was despairing and desolate, and his captors had been merciless in their torture of him. Even when his father had beat him, he had never felt like this, he had been depressed and had a high pain tolerance that he blamed on his speed healing therefore no one questioned him, but now the pain was reaching unbearable, and his idea of unbearable was extremely hard to reach.

They had starved him making him incredibly weak, because his fast metabolism required him to eat or he would starve faster than a normal person, he was baffled by how he was still alive though he knew he was almost to Death's doorstep, but it was easier to deal with the pain if you didn't think, Wally had learned that years ago. They had electrocuted him, water boarded him, beaten him, burned him, cut him, starved him, deprived him of sleep and water, drugged him, mentally tortured him by means of Psimon, and had done everything in their power to break him, and now he wished for death. As much as he wished for death, he was worried for Dick and Artemis, neither had looked good when he'd last seen them, he felt especially bad for Artemis because she'd been here three weeks, and for some reason he couldn't comprehend the Shadows was trying to get her to join them. It was too hard to think of this though, he needed all his energy to survive and push back the pain, just like he did with his father.

_The five-year old huddled in the corner of the lightless basement, shirtless, his torso bleeding and covered in welt marks, one arm broken and clutched protectively to his stomach, the other covered in welts. His freckled face was covered in dirt and was white as a sheet, his normally bright green eyes a dull jade color that was glazed over in pain and stark terror, as a man descended down the basement stairs gracelessly. Wally could smell the tequila from where he was and knew that he was in for a world of pain, now, if it had been whiskey he'd of been better off, and his father would have fallen unconscious earlier, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. "WALLACE!" Rudolph screamed, his pupils dilated so that his eyes seemed like black pits of doom. The five year old huddled in corner, sobbing silently, wishing he could have loving parents like his friends at school, instead of a father who beat him, and a mother who loved him but was too afraid to stand up for him. He just wanted the pain to end, to stop, to be rescued like in the storybooks by a superhero, preferably the Flash, his favorite superhero, but there was no hope for him, not here._

_ His father lumbered over to his corner, and grabbed the boy by his red curls, causing him to gasp in pain as he was lifted into the air by his hair, his father smirking with pleasure at the boy's suffering, then he threw him at the wall, the crack of the boy's head against the cement wall music to his ears. He picked the semi-conscious boy up, then threw him against another wall, then again and again till the boy was an unrecognizable bloody mess. _

_ Wally was still conscious through this cruel torture, but he had deserved it, that he knew, he shouldn't have talked to James in class, and instead paid attention to the teacher, then she wouldn't have sent a note home with him, his father would still love him, instead of think he was worthless which always happened when his father was mad at him, and his father wouldn't have beaten him. _All my fault, _the five year old thought to himself, _all my fault.

Wally shook himself from the terrifying flashback to observe the prisoner that was chained next to him, it was a girl, one around his age by the looks of it with long greasy blackish brown that was in clumps that covered his face. The girl was in a dirt colored tank top that was torn to the point where it didn't even cover anything and was just barely hanging onto her skinny corpselike body, ripped, damp, and covered in blood, with bloodied cargo jeans on. Her back was covered in blood from what he could see. Tissue, blood, welts, burns, cuts, and scars covered the girl's arms', chest, stomach, and back, and when he said covered, he meant covered, as in almost every inch of her even the skin barely covering her rib cage that stood out on her obviously starved frame. The girl turned her head to meet his gaze, and Wally was shocked to the core when he realized who it was, but there was no mistaking her storm colored eyes', though dulled slightly and filled with pain, terror, and defeat. Artemis.

He felt anger, the first emotion he'd allowed himself to feel since Artemis had been taken away, then fear, he didn't want her hurt worse then she was, he was terrified that she'd just break, she looked so defeated, fragile, broken, like the slightest blow of the wind would cause her to shatter. He turned to look at Sportsmaster, wanting to rip him to shreds, the edges of his vision turning red with fury.

"Well, the two spitfires reunited," the Joker cooed from the corner, causing Wally to wince taking the wind out of his anger, all his memories of the last two weeks of torture were associated with the Joker's voice, and just the sound of him sent terror racing through him, almost as bad as the terror that came when he heard his father's voice, though he was more adept at hiding it. The Joker smiled sadistically knowing the effect he had on the younger Flash. "We've decided to send a little message to the Justice League, to Batsy and Arty's old playmate Dickie bird." Wally stiffened slightly, how did the Joker know Robin's civilian identity? He turned to look at Artemis, she gazed at him not surprised in the least, she already knew. "Our last... experiment shall we say?" Artemis flinched, making Wally want to wrap his arms around her shielding her from this horror, but he couldn't and could only watch helplessly as she grew alive with fear and terror. "was much fun, but what I _really_ want to see, is how far you'll go to save each other. This... loyalty you young heroes have for each other is an interesting... phenomenon in our line of business that I'd love to ... research on a little... but more," he said mockingly, as despair fell like a blanket on Wally knowing he'd have to witness Artemis seeing him brought so low again, and witness her being hurt.

"How will we start this?" Sportsmaster asked, bloodlust in his eyes', obviously eager to spill some blood, but interestingly he was only staring at Artemis, who was tense and looking at the ground her eyes' empty and dull.

The Joker cackled then replied, "Well lets start the video going then." He turned towards the projector, and then a red dot appeared on the top of the screen, and then in the corner of the screen was a picture of Canary in front of computer, eyes' bloodshot with bags under them, her eyes' wide with horror. "Hello," he cackled, "I have a ittle wittle message for Batsy and the League, would you mind passing it on?" Dread and fear unlike any he'd ever felt before seep into him slowly, the worst kind, he was not going to like this message, that much Wally could tell.

Wayne Mansion,

Gotham City, NJ

May 31, 8:01 AM EST

Dick was on the computer hacking into national satellites, and running facial recognition programs in hope of finding some indication on where Artemis and Wally were, when someone knocked on his door. He looked up, it was 8 in the morning, Alfred knew not to bother him this early in the morning, out of politeness though he replied irritated, "Come in."

Surprisingly it was Batman, in his hero get up. Dick sat up straight, not liking the grim shape that his mentor's mouth had taken. Two words was all it took to send Dick into a panic attack, and then to the Watchtower..

Watchtower

May 31, 8: 23 AM

_Robin B01 Batman 02_

Dick raced as fast as he could to the computer where the entire Team and League were huddled. The Joker had contacted him, Wally and Artemis were alive, and this was live video feed, so it was possible for them to track the signal, a tiny warm spot burst in his chest, spreading a thin warm feeling through him, hope, he had hope, for the first time since his capture, the world wasn't dark, desolate, and filled with despair. When Dick saw the Joker's face, he sucked in a breath, trying to remember the psychologist's methods of dealing with his panic attacks, but that all left him the moment he saw the criminal's face. Through the haze of red insanity and fear, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and a heavier one on his other shoulder, Zatanna and Batman, reassurance filled him, the Joker couldn't touch him with both by his side, he hoped.

The Joker smiled sadistically, sending shivers down Dick's spine, "Hello Dickie bird, ready for some fun?" he cooed. Dick fought with all his might the panic that slowly rose up his throat, and soon he felt unsafe, the Joker could come through the Zeta tube and take him again, or kill Batman for the Shadows, or... his train of thought was interrupted by Batman.

"What do you want?" Batman growled in a murderous tone, his arm protectively clutching Dick's shoulder. The Joker just laughed, as he moved aside to reveal two people chained in the same gym Dick himself had been tortured in. Artemis and Wally.

The archer was chained to two poles, dangling by her arms, her hair blackish brown, the tips stained with dried blood, making Dick wish Artemis had been rescued instead of him for the millionth time, that guilt filling him up and drowning him. Evidence of severe torture covered every inch of her, but her eyes' normally a stormy grey color that portrayed strength and perseverance were a dull cement gray, and glazed over in pain and terror. Wally on the other hand wasn't in as bad shape, because of his speed healing, but it seemed not to be working anymore, they must be starving him. His right leg was hanging at an odd angle, his yellow hero suit ripped all over, the Flash symbol carved into his chest, covered in blood, his mask was gone, revealing his severely bruised face, and his arms and legs were covered in burns, cuts, welts, and bruises, but his green eyes were angry and defeated. Wally looked broken, Artemis looked decimated.

Green Arrow was clenching his fists, as was the Flash. Dinah's face was stark white with horror, frozen in place, as M'gann fell to her knees, Connor hugging her, Zatanna's fingers dug painfully into his shoulder, but he barely felt it, he was too caught up in the sight of them, they didn't look like they were going to survive the next week, and if they kept torturing Artemis, and starving Kid Flash, they wouldn't survive the next 48 hours.

"We decided to have some fun with you little heroes since you rescued Dickie bird early, well don't worry Arty and Flashie will pay the price, so we're going to play a little game, one I'm sure you'll just _love_," he giggled, notifying Dick that he was going to play mind games with the broken teens to decimate their spirit even further, and slowly Dick felt as if he too were disintegrating with them. Sportsmaster stepped out with a syringe filled with purple liquid, causing Artemis to go stiff, her eyes' suddenly alert, she obviously knew what that liquid was, and it was bad news, but Dick could only watch in horror as it was injected into Wally. The Flash raced to the screen, his face filled with a murderous rage, Superman only barely able to hold back the speedster.

"YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH! I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS, I WILL KILL YOU!" The Flash screamed at the screen, causing Sportsmaster and the Joker to start laughing at the heroes distress.

"This toxin was made by my friend, the Scarecrow, it takes you back to your deepest nightmare and replays it over and over again, each time more terrifying than the last, never stopping, and within an hour the fear will have stopped his heart, though since his metabolism is faster it may be half an hour, unless..." he leered towards Artemis, who's face was staring intently at Wally with dread, setting off the Flash's screaming again, and setting off with fury everyone in the Watchtower cept M'gann, and Dinah who were still in shock.

Within a minute Wally was whimpering, his eyes' filled with terror and tears as he tried to shield himself form whatever horror he was facing, causing Artemis to surprise everyone when she begged, "Please stop. I'll do anything just give him the antidote." Sportsmaster's face broke out in a huge smile, as Wally started letting out brief screams of pain, mumbling incoherently in between screams.

Dick yelled, "No Artemis!" knowing what she was sacrificing.

"What are you willing to give up for us to stop the toxin?" Sportsmaster asked, a knowing smirk on his face, already guessing at his daughter's answer.

"I'll..." she faltered, her voice a whisper when she continued, "I'll take his place." Relief filled Dick knowing that she wasn't giving in to her father, then terror as it dawned on him what she had just done. The Joker laughed a high pitched laugh filled with mad glee, as Sportsmaster's face clouded with anger.

"No!" M'gann yelled, flying towards the screen, only to be tackled to the ground by Superboy, tears streaming down her face, as she buried her face in Superboy's chest, not looking at the screen. Sportsmaster, fury evident on his face, as he stalked towards his daughter then punched her in the face, causing her head to swing all the way to the side.

"You worthless disgrace! All you have to do is join and this would all end! You worthless, useless bitch, if you won't join, we'll make sure you never leave," he smiled, his eyes' dark, sending a shiver down Dick's spine. The blonde went to the front of the room, and stayed there for awhile, planning some horrible torture no doubt, by the clank of metal that was heard. Meanwhile Wally was crying out.

"Please..." he rasped, "Father... please. I'm sorry. I'll be a good... boy. I... won't talk about... the Flash anymore. Please. _No more pain._" The pleading broken sobs his friend emitted were too much, as the Flash stopped fighting Superman, frozen in place, then it hit everyone, Wally was abused by his father, his worst nightmare was getting beaten by his father for talking about the Flash. Dick could see everyone in the Watchtower freeze, a simmering silent anger filling the room, the most dangerous kind, the West household was going to be in for an unwelcome surprise tonight.

"Please. I take his place, give me the toxin, just give Wally the antidote, _please_," Artemis pleaded, her face filled with horror, tears streaming down her cheeks. Zatanna turned to hug Dick, burying her face in his chest, as he hugged her. In any other situation he'd be thrilled, he had a major crush on Zatanna, but now, watching his best friends' get tortured and degraded, happiness was the farthest thing from his mind. The Joker laughed, as Sportsmaster entered the scene again, a branding iron in the shape of the insignia of the League of Shadows, burning red with heat. Green Arrow and Dinah started screaming at the screen, as did the Flash, everyone else still with anticipation as the villain drew nearer to Artemis.

"Now, you may run as far as you like but you will_ always_ be a Shadow," he said, then pressed the iron to her right bicep, causing her to scream in pain, her flesh sizzling under the brand. Dick felt nauseous and dizzy, vividly imagining himself in the room with Artemis and Wally, reliving when Sportsmaster broke his arms. After about a minute, he pulled away, his daughter unconscious, her bicep bright red, with a blistering insignia of the League of Shadows burned into her arm. The Joker gave her a shot that woke her up, gasping, her eyes bright with agony, begging for death, as Wally writhed and screamed stuck in his own nightmare world. The Joker then inserted a shot that caused Wally to calm down, then jolt in his chains, his eyes' wildly flickering in a dozen direction, anxiety and fear radiating off him.

"Well Flashie boy, Ms. Arty over here has sacrificed herself for you, enjoy," he said to the speedster, who's dilated eyes widened further, staring at the haggard decimated archer, a shell of her former self. Then Sportsmaster inserted the purple toxin into Artemis.

Everyone in the Watchtower watched the scene play out, feeling sick at the sight of the torture the psychopath was inflicting on the teens, and the sadistic joy he was taking from it, and could only watch knowing what would happen next. Dick could tell when the toxin took effect because Artemis stiffened, her eyes wide with fear, looking so lost and scared and small, she then cowered slightly looking at the ground, so unlike Wally's screaming. Artemis was just tense watching whatever memory she was in play out with tears streaming down her face, still with terror in her eyes'. Out of the corner of his eye Dick saw Sportsmaster, look at the ground in shame, pain evident on his face, whatever that memory was it wasn't pleasant for him, and it was obviously his fault. Then Artemis flinched, and she screamed, brief but haunting, its echoes still heard after she stopped. Wally struggled against his chains, his face filled with guilt and agony as yelled over and over to let him take her place.

After about 10 minutes of watching Artemis, he injected the antidote into her, causing her to slump, her facial features covered in exhaustion, agony, and a plea for death. Dick could barely watch, feeling as if he were going to throw up, this was all his fault, if he had not escaped, then Artemis and Wally would be safe and only he would be being tortured. This was all his fault.

Smiling grotesquely the Joker blocked everyone's view of Artemis and Wally then said, "I hope you enjoyed our little video, tune in for next week's episode," then the screen went black. Everyone in the Watchtower was still.

**Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated for awhile, last week was my birthday, and I was sort of busy, and this week I have AP testing, so thats a pain. I WILL finish this story, but I won't update every day, but have no fear I won't abandon you, I hate when people start a story but don't finish and I don't intend to be that person. Sorry if this chapter is disappointing, I'm hoping it will get better, I really am sorry though. If you have any ideas for where to go next, I could really use the help, thank you for your support, it really does mean the world that people like and appreciate my writing.**

**Kaya**


	9. Chapter 9

Bertenelli Inc.

Starling City, NY

May 31, 10: 34 PM EST

It was dark, nearly lightless, cold, damp, and her arm was a renewing wave of pain every 10 seconds, Artemis knew where she was, she was back in a cell. Then the horror of the gym hit her, and she gingerly felt her burn, wincing in pain slightly at the sensitive wound, horror settling in on her. Her sister had called her the light one in the family, the untainted one, now she wasn't, now she was bound to the Shadows, and her father was right, she could run from it, but now, now she'd always be a Shadow. Hopelessness filled her, she was the very thing she had spent her life trying not to be, a Shadow, God, _I'm sorry Jade_.

Just then she realized she was laying on something warm and soft, she turned her head slightly to see gaunt pale face surrounded by a halo of dirty red hair. Wally. "Wally?" she croaked her voice hoarse from disuse and screaming. He gave her a small smile, a genuine smile, not a smirking one, not a mischief one, or a joking one, a real one, as his hand gently rested on the top of her head which was laying in his lap.

"Hey, how you doing?" he asked, concern causing his smile to vanish. She then looked at her arm, the symbol was still there, she closed her eyes' fighting back tears, and nearly jumped out of her skin, when Wally placed a hand on her cheek. "Its going to be okay, remember, no matter what physical scars they give you to bind you to them, only you can bind yourself. They can give you scars and say you're theirs but only if you accept that something so physical can bind you, can you really be theirs," he replied softly, shocking her with the depth behind his words, normally he was goofy and joked around about the stupidest stuff, but now, now he was sweet.

"Was that the case with your dad?" she asked, then cursed herself right after for her thoughtless question, when Wally flinched pain crossing his face. She was just not used to being so open, having to be independent and not trust anyone from a young age, and felt the need to cover her vulnerability up in this facade of toughness, invincibility, strength, and sarcasm, and now she regretted it. "I'm sorr..." she began before he cut her off.

"No, its okay. Yes that was the case with dad, he would beat me to prove he was stronger, then later to prove that he owned me even if I was a hero," he said softly.

"Do you still live with him?" she whispered, staring into his broken viridescent eyes, she didn't know how she didn't see how vulnerable and pleading they were before, but then again Wally used his joking manner as a shield, a facade, as much as she used her strength and sarcasm as one, and both of them were so good at it, it was nearly impossible to tell that anything was wrong, but underneath they were broken and despairing. She recognized a kindred spirit when she saw it, and in Wally she did. Ignoring the pain of her arm, she reached up and gripped Wally's hand, sending empathy his way, letting him know she was there for him, he smiled faintly, then stared off into the distance.

"Yes," his reply so soft she could barely hear him.

"I'm here for you," she whispered soothingly, knowing from experience that no one wanted to here a pitying 'I'm sorry' when dealing with an abusive parent. He smiled at her again, highlighting the deep bags under his eyes.

"What about you? Are you okay?" he asked, and then she felt she should tell him before he found out himself and was hurt she never told him.

"I was never completely honest with you, you or the Team about my family relations. My father is..."

"I know," he said cutting her off, as she stared at him surprise.

"How?"

"The first video, with you and ... Dick. He yelled at Sportsmaster saying how could he hurt his own daughter, and then Sportsmaster brought you in." She nodded, he didn't seem mad, he just seemed tired, and at that point in time, she was tired of begin the strong one, her father was right, she was weak, and weakness wasn't tolerated, but she had tried to be strong for too long. She was exhausted and broken down both mentally, and physically, and at that point in time all her walls shattered, and she couldn't do a damn thing about it. Tears started to stream down her face involuntarily. Wally hugged her gently, alarm written in his emerald eyes.

"What's wrong?" She just shook her head, trying not to move her broken leg to much and buried her face into his chest. He didn't say anything, as he hugged her tight, but gently trying not to hurt her, as they laid there in each others embrace. After awhile Wally broke the silence.

"What was your worst nightmare?" he asked thoughtfully. She appreciated that, she really did need to get that off her chest, but so many years of pretending and hiding made that hard, even her own father didn't know she knew, he only guessed when she was under the power of the Scarecrow's serum.

"My mom getting her legs broken," she replied softly, her words nonetheless echoing throughout the cell, causing everything to still. Wally stayed silent, as she continued, "I was five when it happened. I was going downstairs to get water, Jade stayed upstairs, when I heard my dad yelling at my mom, then he got mad, and they started fighting. My mom was an assassin the same as my dad, so it went on for some time, but in the end... she lost," her voice cracked, "He broke both her legs, then came to get me and Jade. I ran to our bedroom, and he dragged us both out of the house saying that mom had broken her leg in a mission and had been arrested by the police, that we had to leave or we'd be arrested too. He thought Jade and I didn't know, Jade didn't, but I... never forgot. After he started training me to be a Shadow, and continued Jade's training, but he was crueler, abusive, he never smiled or laughed, or was really much of a dad to me and Jade after that day. When I was 8, Jade ran away, and I faced his wrath alone, I killed Wally," tears streamed down her face even more, as flashes of blood covered her vision and she cringed, remembering all the pain she had caused in her 15 years of life. "I've killed so many people, and when I... when I came to the Team and joined I thought... that this might be my redemption, that I might... I don't know, be able to repay all the bad I had done with good, but now thats gone."

He held her to him, as she cried into his chest, ignoring the stab of pain. As she cried, he gently yet firmly said, "You don't need to gain redemption, you didn't do anything bad Artemis."

"But..." she started, but he cut her off, his emerald eyes' flashing with anger, as he forced her to look him in the eye.

"That was your father, not you, from what I've seen of what he's done to you to get you to join the Shadows, and from what I've heard from you that he did to you and Jade in the past, I have no doubt that he was able to terrorize a scared, lost, alone child into killing. But thats not going to happen, do you understand? He will not break you, he will not get you because I'm here, and I will always be here waiting for you, are we clear?" She nodded, knowing she was lucky to have him, knowing that she didn't deserve him, because she didn't. He was so good, burning with light, and she was skulking further and further into the Shadows towards her family, and she couldn't stop, she'd done horrible things in her past, and she hadn't been as innocent as Wally had made her sound.

_Artemis creeped along the top of the building, gauging the wind, the angle of her shot, altitude, elevation, arcing distance, before she could make her shot. She'd gone over the specifics with her father, and she knew she could not fail, or else face the consequences. The 10 year old winced at the memory of her last beating, and didn't want to give him an excuse to give her another. She hated killing, but she feared her father and his beatings' even more. _

_ Knowing she only had 2 minutes till her target came out at 2:31, she reviewed her mission. Henry R. Dahmler, CEO of Dahmscorp Industries, maker of the DAD software, in other words hacker software, that was wired onto a network, though unknown to most of its buyers, that was monitored by Dahmscorp, and was used by governments all around the world to stash secret files, and hack into the systems of other countries, terrorist groups, mafia organizations, and so on. He was 31, a billionaire playboy, that was about as dangerous as they came, and an agent of the Light. Lately though, he was suspected of leaking information of the Light, and though it was not confirmed the Light wanted him eliminated, since he had an 8 year old son from his first wife that died of leukemia that could be manipulated into being the Light's puppet, which was a safer bet rather than a father that was too dangerous. That or the position would be given to the head of the Board, Griffin M. Summets, who was also an agent of the Light, and son of one of the Light's founding members, ensuring his loyalty._

_ 2:31, and Dahmler walked out of the building, with two bodyguards in front of him, two behind. Artemis felt the wind pick up a bit, and aimed her bow lower to give her shot more force rather than arc, also making it easier to block, and aimed for his neck, as his body guard opened the door to the car. It was now or never, she hesitated feeling extreme guilt at killing the billionaire, he wasn't a bad man at all. According to research since his son was diagnosed with leukemia, he was funding a foundation that gave money for research on cancer, funded dozens of foundations that helped those with AIDS, HIV, and provided housing for those in Africa, built orphanages for kids in third world countries, started three companies that gave free medical care to broke families in war torn countries, gave homes and financial support to war veterans in the US, and the only reason he worked for the Light was because his younger half-sister was an assassin for the League of Shadows and they threatened to kill her if he didn't work for them, and she refused to leave. _

_ Shoot! He was stepping into the car, rushing her shot, she releasing the arrow. It was late. The arrow imbedded itself in the hood the other car, 1 and 3/4 centimeters from his head. His body guards pushed him into the car, shutting the door, and shot at her position, forcing her head down to avoid being killed, as they all got in the car, and sped off. When the shots stopped, she shot a trick arrow into the rear of the car, imbedding a tracker, then started jumping across rooftops, tracking their position._

_ Later that, she snuck into the house of his girlfriend, Grammy award winning actress, Suzanne Golding, famous for her acting in her role of Maria, heart broken 1860s socialite of London's high society, who fell for a young gypsy man played by Gary Fallagan, in the film __Winter's Rose__. Her house, though she was famous, did not have exemplary security, and it was child's play to sneak into the house. She snuck through the grounds, staying in the shadows, before climbing up the stone wall without rope or a grappling hook, finding all the nooks and crannys in the stone wall with the ease of a professional. Fourth window, third floor in the east wing of the the old house that had been standing since 1914, meaning that security upgrades took a lot of time to install, therefore there were very few. She shot an arrow at the window from her position slightly to the right of it, disabling the security system, but recording the footage of the hall for the next five minutes, then repeating it on the video monitors in the security command central for the next 4 hours. With the security disabled, she picked the lock on the window, and silently opened it._

_ With that, she snuck up on the couple sleeping peacefully in the four poster bed, Henry's arm wrapped around Suzanne's waist, as she laid on his chest, both sleeping in each other's loving embrace. A pang of guilt hit her hard, but she pushed her emotions down like a true Shadow, and drew her dagger, then walked up to the bed. Standing over their bed, Henry's bright blue eyes opened in alarm, and then she slit his throat, he went limp in the bed, Suzanne still asleep, as she snuck out of the room, tears' in her eyes', knowing that an 8 year old tomorrow morning would find out he was an orphan, and that one more light was extinguished, on more good man was killed for defying forces that were stronger than him for the well-beings of others, further plunging this world into darkness. As the blonde 10 year old scampered over the stones walls surrounding the actress's mansion, she heard the anguished, heart-broken scream of a woman in love, and then she left._

That hadn't been her first kill, but that thad definitely been the most impacting kill she'd made, because that had been the first actually good man she had killed, the rest had deserved to die, and had killed hundreds, this man had made sure none were killed, had tried to save the lives of thousands because he cared, and she had killed him. Seven years later, his son had overdosed on crack, in deep depression, and died, not even waiting for his leukemia to kill him, and Suzanne Golding had died in a car accident 4 years after the son's death, crashing into another car as a result of being drunk, also in deep depression.

"I'm the reason my mother's dead," Wally said in an ominous tone, his voice betraying no emotion, dragging Artemis from her self-pity. Artemis turned to stare at the red-head, her eyes' wide, but said nothing waiting for him to explain.

"Every since I was young my father had always been strict. When I turned 5 and started school, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer after a miscarriage, and my father started drinking, and then since my mom was in the hospital, started beating me, saying that if I was smarter, and didn't cause so much trouble, then my mom wouldn't be sick."

"Wally..." Artemis began, her heart breaking for the speedster, but he shook his head and continued.

"When I was seven, they performed a procedure that got rid of the cancer, but then my dad had been drinking more and more, just making sure to be sober when visiting my mom, so my mom never knew about the abuse. With my mom home, the first time he came home drunk after a week of not drinking for my mom's benefit, he started to hit me, and my mom stepped in, and he shoved her. She fell and hit her head against the sharp edge of the kitchen cabinet, dying on impact. There was... so much blood," his voice grew softer, so absorbed it the memory, horror, sorrow, and grief written across his pale face, making the purple bags around his eyes' look more prominent. "I was so much in shock at her death, that when my father told the police that she had slipped and fell on some water I had spilled, I didn't even protest. It was my fault anyway, if I hadn't made such a big fuss that night about him beating me, and hadn't screamed, my mother wouldn't have noticed, come in and interfered, and she wouldn't be dead," he finished. She stared at him, as tears silently streamed down his face, she didn't know how he maintained that jokester attitude with so much pain and guilt trapped inside of him, and the fact he still lived with his father, and was probably still abused while she had gotten out of that a year ago.

They were practically in the corner of the cell now, Artemis sitting on Wally's lap, her broken leg splayed uselessly across the floor, as she sat level to Wally, his arms clasped around her waist as she laid her head down on his shoulder. She then sat up slightly, and grasped his chin lightly, wiping his tears with her other hand. "That isn't your fault. Thats your fathers'. I know how hard that is to accept, I blamed myself too, if only I had done something to help my mom, but we can't change the past, and we definitely can't blame ourselves for what other people do to us, okay? Its not your faulty your dad beats you, or that you mom died, your mom dying is your dad's fault, he pushed her, you were a kid, of course you were going to want help if it was offered, what kid wouldn't. No one should expect a 7 year old to stay quiet and just accept it, when their father is beating the shit out of them, no one Wally. It isn't your fault," she finished her voice strong, though her eyes were haunted with memories of their own, her childhood hadn't been any better than Wally's, but at least her dad had a legit reason for beating her, rather than he couldn't deal with stress.

He nodded at her, as they stared intensely at each other. They were both broken, and hurt beyond repair by their families, but she guessed thats what made them both compatible. They both understood each other. They both could comprehend and empathize where the other was coming from, and not give pity or sympathy which no one that was abused wanted, they just wanted acceptance, love, care. At that moment Artemis realized as much as Wally had annoyed her in the past, she loved him for it. She loved the way his eyes' sparkled with mischief when he said a corny joke, or teased her, how he always had a retort for her sarcastic comments and wasn't scared off by her tough attitude, how he always was smiling and trying to make the best of a situation even though his past was dark and trying to drag him down, how strong he was internally and full of light. The way he smirked, the freckles dotting his face, his deep viridescent eyes, his wavy red hair, his laugh that was so full of life, his corny jokes, funny expressions, even how clueless and stupid he acted sometimes, she just liked it, and then she realized this was love, accepting the flaws of a person, the ups and the downs, all the little weird personality quirks, queer habits, and weird expressions; taking it and still wanting to be them, that was love.

Yet for all that realization, it wasn't her that made the first move. Wally leaned down, his eyes' solemn and bright with tenderness and love, then met her lips with his own. It was slow yet passionate, that told of sorrow yet a light at the end of the tunnel. Careful not to move her broken leg too much, he lifted her further onto his lap, till she was literally sitting on top of him, as he pressed her against the wall, her arms tangled in his red locks, and deepened the kiss, Wally claiming dominance, Artemis gladly giving up control, though not all the way, as his hands tightened around her waist.

Awhile later they pulled apart, breathing heavily, foreheads touching, cheeks flushed, eyes' bright. Wally smirked, his eyes sparkling impishly, "That was fun, but you definitely have too many clothes on." Artemis laughed, happiness and mischief sparkling in her eyes', making them a soft cloud gray.

"I see, but we may have a problem with my leg," she whispered in his ear, nipping at the lobe. He groaned slightly, closing his eyes, as she trailed kisses down his neck.

"At this point, I'm willing to rip your clothes off if you are," he replied in a husky voice, his hair mussed sexily. She smiled again, as they kissed again.

Bertenelli Inc.

Starling City, NY

June 1, 6: 21 AM EST

The door to the cell creaked open, letting in a blinding light that woke the sleeping lovebirds. Artemis jolted awake, moving her head from Wally's shoulder, in the process moving Wally's head, which was laying lightly on top of hers, waking him. He winced at the light streaming in, then instinctively gripped her tighter, and tried to shield her body, desperate not to separated from her, to protect her from whatever horror _they_ had concocted for them. As their eyes' adjusted to the Light, they saw Sportsmaster backed by three goons standing in the entrance of the cell, and he looked downright pissed, and yet he was smirking, then it hit Artemis, he had leverage over her, to force her to join the Shadows. Wally. She'd do anything to keep him safe, and her mom if he was able to get past the League's security that protected her mother, but he didn't need her, he had Wally, and as long as he had Wally, he controlled her.

"Hello lovebirds, I'm going to have to take Artemis _for awhile_," he said smoothly, while smirking, as two goons stepped forward towards the couple, Wally shielding her as much as he could, as she grasped onto him for dear life, burying her face in his neck.

"No!" she gasped softly, fear invading every inch of her, knowing the minute she was out those doors she'd most likely never be with Wally again. As they reached down and tugged at her, Wally held on tighter, as did she, both of them fighting. Just then, they moved her broken leg, causing her to lose her grip on Wally, pain lancing up from her leg, sending flashes of black and red to fracture her vision.

"ARTEMIS!" Wally yelled, fear and concern filling his voice.

"Wally," she whispered weakly before screaming again, the pain deafening. Artemis was no weakling, and it was rare for her to scream, she and quite high pain tolerance levels, her father had made sure of that, so if the pain was that bad, her leg must be really messed up.

Seeing an opportunity to shorten this futile battle, Sportsmaster said, "Unless you wish to put her through more pain, in the end which we will win, I would let go, or..." he gestured, and one of the goons, pulled at Artemis's broken leg, causing her to emit a bloodcurdling shriek of pain, her back arching in pain. Wally was torn, he knew they were going to hurt her, and he might never see her again if he let go, but he didn't want to cause her more pain, and he knew they didn't care about hurting her. So reluctantly, he let go, as the goons grabbed her, tears streaming down her face.

"Wally!" she screamed, fighting as best she could to free herself from his grasp. He tried to get up to get to her, but his legs, weak from starvation and lack of use crumpled under him, and he fell, the cell door closing behind him with an ominous thud, the girl he loved being dragged fighting and screaming down the hall to an unknown, but no doubt hideous fate, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. He had found his spitfire, and he and lost her all in a matter of hours, all because he was too stupid and caught up in him anger at Red Arrow leaving the Team to realize his feelings for Artemis, and now it was too late. He curled up in a ball on the ground sobbing, it was all his fault, all his fault.

**Hello adoring humans, I incorporated some Spitfire for those of you that asked, don't worry, we'll have more angst in the next chapter, and a startling transformation. The story is coming to an end soon, I finally found an ending that I hope you all like, probably like 3 or 4 more chapters before we finish, but they will all be as long as this have no fear. So how was this chapter? Was it good? I hope so. Thanks for the support, and if you have any requests for the ending I'd love to hear them, and may add them in, so just message me or leave me a review. Thank you.**

**KAYA**


End file.
